Sacked Chelsea managers do not tend to hang around in English football. Avram Grant found employment at Portsmouth a year after his departure in the summer of 2008 but since Roman Abramovich bought the club nearly 10 years ago, no other unwanted individual has stayed on in the Premier League.

Claudio Ranieri, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Carlo Ancelotti all sought to rebuild their reputations abroad, while Guus Hiddink left on his own terms and Roberto di Matteo is yet to resurface following his departure in November.

Jose Mourinho ventured to Italy and then Spain but rumours abound that he will return to Stamford Bridge this summer to replace Rafael Benitez.

Of Abramovich’s nine managers, that leaves only Andre Villas-Boas. The Portuguese arrived as a 33-year-old barely the senior of Chelsea’s most decorated players with just one season of significance in management. The world-record £13.3million price tag — paid to active a release clause in his contract with Porto — did not help. He talked of a project and set about revolutionising the playing style and the playing staff.

He lasted nine months. The abrupt nature of his departure reflected as badly on the deep-rooted problems at Chelsea as it did Villas-Boas but rather than return to Europe where he was still highly regarded, he chose to remain in England to challenge the notion he was a rookie out of his depth.

Spurs fans were ambivalent towards Villas-Boas’s appointment in succeeding Harry Redknapp, whose personality clash with owner Joe Lewis had reached untenable levels, but a season that could yet yield a return to the Champions League has put him on the brink of vindicating a difficult decision to remain in the Premier League.

“I opened myself up to a couple of meetings that I had with other clubs but in the end it was a great opportunity at Tottenham and one I wanted to take,” he said. “We had good conversations, we shared some good ideas and I decided to come here but I was close to going to other leagues.”

So why stay here? “Because in my opinion, the Premier League is the best in the world,” he said. “The last-placed team can beat the team who are leading the League — this is how unpredictable and spectacular it can be.

“It is a game based on emotion and passion which are the essence of football and make the product what it is.”

Villas-Boas returns to Stamford Bridge “a better manager” for his experience there, so he claims. Certainly, he has modified his handling of senior players and generally improved his man-management skills. But, given Redknapp’s achievements last season, there are some who will only accept progress has been made if Champions League football is secured.

The Blues’ 1-0 win at Manchester United makes victory essential for Tottenham tonight on a ground at which they have not won since 1990. Gareth Bale is in history-defining form but the chance to qualify for Europe’s premier competition represents a chance to reduce the gap on a club backed by wealth fare beyond Spurs’ reach.

“The objective of the club is to reach a level of success in trophies that Chelsea have achieved but obviously within Tottenham’s philosophy and club culture,” said Villas-Boas. “This club have taken tremendous steps forward and want to be in that mix of teams who compete for titles and these are the steps that we have to take towards being at a level that Chelsea are at already.

“If it is with more or less wealth, it is certainly not with the amount of money that Chelsea have invested in the squad but, hopefully, with criteria, with good scouting and good youth development, we can try to achieve that standard.”

What the future holds for Benitez is uncertain. Next week’s Europa League Final offers the chance of silverware but the club need a top-four finish to ensure further growth. Ultimately, his future lies elsewhere, perhaps overseas after a difficult tenure. Villas-Boas will know how he feels.

The tactical battle at the Bridge . . .

GARETH BALE has been the ace in Tottenham’s pack this season but, as Spurs approach tonight’s match at Chelsea, it is Rafael Benitez’s team who appear to hold all the cards.

Bale is the most dangerous attacker on either side yet the suspicion remains that the Welshman has not recovered fully from the ankle injury he sustained against FC Basle last month.

In order to stop Bale, Benitez is expected to ask Victor Moses and Cesar Azpilicueta to keep a constant eye on him, as well as requiring Ramires to shackle the Spurs star when he drifts into central positions.

While many of Spurs’ forward players, such as Mousa Dembele and Aaron Lennon, are struggling for fitness, some of Chelsea’s are showing ominous form. Eden Hazard and Juan Mata have been two of their finest players this season.

Hazard should give right-back Kyle Walker a difficult time, while Mata shone in Chelsea’s 4-2 win at White Hart Lane last year and will expect to do so again. Spurs might have Bale but Chelsea have more players in form and, as long as they resist the visitors’ threat on the counter-attack, a victory should be theirs.

What if . . . It’s a home win:

Chelsea’s superior goal difference means they will secure a top-four place. Spurs need Arsenal to lose one of their last two games.

It’s a draw: Chelsea need to win one of their last two games, while Spurs need Arsenal to draw one of their last two.

It’s an away win: One point separates Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal with two games to go. Arsenal miss out on a place in the top four if Chelsea and Spurs take maximum points from their last two games.